The Air It Out Elite Academy conducted a spring camp session last weekend at The Fieldhouse Gym in Abilene.

The Elite Academy is a branch of Air It Out Passing Camp and has been around for six years. The camps take place three times during the winter, spring and summer.

Twenty-five middle and high school quarterbacks and 20 receivers attended camp. Quarterbacks were able to work on their footwork and throwing motion techniques while wide receivers worked on their agility and route running techniques.

The quarterbacks received a bonus lesson on how to throw the ball in very windy conditions due to the weather on Saturday afternoon.

In between workout sessions, the players received lessons about leadership and character from Col. Craig Flowers.

Air It Out also has multiple summer camps in the summer for football players as well.

The summer camps have become popular throughout Texas they have expanded the camps to Dallas, Houston, Fort Worth, San Antonio, Austin, and Amarillo.

Air It Out Passing Camp started in 1990 by Alan Wartes, former Hardin Simmons University offensive coordinator, and has taught quarterbacks, wide receivers, tight ends and running backs the proper fundamentals for their position for over two decades in Texas.

Current pro-football players from Texas have attended the summer camp including Washington Redskins quarterback Colt McCoy, Miami Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill and Denver Broncos quarterback Case Keenum.

Wartes said high school athletes who attend the camp are usually in the process of being recruited by universities to play football, and that college coaches are not allowed at his camps due to NCAA rules.

“The college guys have their own rules,” Wartes said. “They aren’t allowed to go to things like this.”

Gabriel Garcia, offensive coordinator and recruiting coordinator for McMurry University, said this camp is different from the other football camps in the state.

“We’re going to try to create really good habits that are going to separate these kids from their peers back at home,” Garcia said.

Wartes said it’s been a blessing to see how his camps have grown in the last 29 years.

“You never know what to expect but it’s been really good and I’m thankful for it,” Wartes said. “Not only this camp but our summer camps have been huge around the state so we’ve been pretty fortunate.”